With the kick of southwestern flavors, you’ll never know how healthy these stuffed mushrooms are.

Last week, I was racking my brain to think of a new appetizer to add to my arsenal, perhaps something that could also double as a side dish at a summer barbecue. Stuffed mushrooms have been a favorite of mine for years but, as I’ve been trying to eat more healthfully over the past 8 months or so, I steered away from these appetizers that often laden with cheese, cream cheese or butter. Tired of missing out, I came up with my own, healthy version. These southwestern stuffed mushrooms, filled with fiber-rich black beans and brown rice, spicy salsa and a touch of creamy queso fresco cheese.
These tender, flavorful mushrooms more than satisfied my craving, and I didn’t miss the typical fat-laden ingredients in the least. Baking the mushroom caps for about 10 minutes before adding the filling insures that the brown rice doesn’t dry out. At first, I was concerned that the filling might not be moist enough, but the addition of salsa took care of that, as well as adding another layer of flavor. My husband, who despises all-things fungi, said, “Wow, those look really good…if you like mushrooms, that is.” That’s the highest praise I can hope for from him when it comes to mushrooms.

Speaking of my husband, thank you so much for all of your kind wishes for his marathon this past weekend. While he didn’t make his goal of breaking 2 hours 40 minutes (the stars weren’t quite aligned), our boys and I are extremely proud of him. His finish time of 2:49:22 put him in 10th place overall (out of 3000 runners) and made him the third masters runner (40+ age group) to cross the finish line. He’s our hero!

Don’t forget to link up your grilling recipes for a chance at some fun prizes. The link up ends tonight.

Now, on to the recipe.

The recipe:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Remove the stems from the mushrooms (you should be able to pop them out with your fingers). Reserve 6 of the stems. Discard the rest.

Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray or oil. Lay the mushrooms, cavity side down, on the baking sheet and bake until the mushrooms are just tender, about 10 minutes. Turn over the mushrooms so that the cavity is facing up.

Trim, then dice the reserved mushroom stems.

Heat olive oil in a medium skillet set over medium heat. Add chopped mushroom stems, garlic and red bell pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are soft, 4 to 5 minutes.
Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the black beans, brown rice, cilantro, salsa and 1 tablespoon of the queso fresco cheese.

Divide the mixture between the mushrooms, gently stuffing it into the open cavities.

Sprinkle the remaining queso fresco cheese over the stuffed mushrooms.

Bake the mushrooms until the cheese is starting to melt and turn brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Remove the stems from the mushrooms (you should be able to pop them out with your fingers). Reserve 6 of the stems. Discard the rest.

Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray or oil. Lay the mushrooms, cavity side down, on the baking sheet and bake until the mushrooms are just tender, about 10 minutes. Turn over the mushrooms so that the cavity is facing up.

So amazing! Congrats to your husband. That’s seriously impressive and you all should definitely be proud. These mushrooms sound super tasty. I think they’re one of my new favorite appetizers to make this year. Cute and crowd pleasing.

That is amazing timing and he finished in great place! These mushrooms sound fantastic. I might try it by filling in a portobello mushroom cap because I’m too lazy to fill all those little ones individually!.

I can’t get enough of stuffed mushrooms. They have to be one of my favorite appetizers ever. These looks wonderful, Dara. Congratulations to your husband! 10th place out of 3,000? That’s crazy awesome!

I just did a post that included my personal history with peppers…and yours made me recall that every time I saw a recipe for stuffed green peppers (I cringe just writing the words!) I would substitute portabella mushrooms for the vessel to be stuffed! I would even include the red pepper, yes, I have come a long way baby!

Not as long as that race of your hubs though; much admiration for someone who can do that.

What a fantastic appetizere idea, Dara – these look so great and I’ll definitely plan to make them for my next neighborhood happy hour! Thanks for sharing. Also, I’m having a ChicWrap giveaway today that you should enter!

10th place is incredible! Congrats to him! And you–I know that being a marathoner’s wife is a huge sacrifice. My dad ran only one and my mom was at her wit’s end after all the training–and your husband has run multiple races! Bless your heart. The mushrooms look fabulous! I am a HUGE mushroom lover.

I think your husband has EVERY reason to be proud of himself. I hope he sees past the time he didn’t see, and realizes that he’s made a huge accomplishment by finishing the marathon. Have a great week.